Pregnant Workers

Kudos to Alissa Quart for highlighting the fact that most pregnant workers are not in the position of Marissa Mayer, Yahoo’s new chief executive, and often experience negative treatment during their pregnancy or childbirth recovery period, or both. But combating pregnancy discrimination is more than an issue of ethics; it’s an issue of women’s health and economic security.

Pregnant workers, especially women in physically demanding jobs, are often pushed out on unpaid leave or, even worse, fired from their jobs for simply following doctor’s orders.

No pregnant woman should have to choose between her job and a healthy pregnancy. The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act would make clear that employers must provide reasonable accommodations for “pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions,” just as they do for disabilities under the Americans With Disabilities Act.

Ultimately, the legislation would not only create a more honest and equitable society, but it would also create a healthier, more economically secure one for women and families.

DINA BAKST
Co-founder and Co-president
A Better Balance: The Work
and Family Legal Center
New York, Oct. 8, 2012